


Will and Nico Both Need Solace

by Redwit



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Fluff, Healing, M/M, Romance, Sleep, infirmary, losing it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-02
Updated: 2017-10-02
Packaged: 2019-01-07 23:58:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12243123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Redwit/pseuds/Redwit
Summary: This follows a thread of The Convalescence of Nico Di Angelo, my story of Nico's infirmary stay and Will and Nico's burgeoning relationship.This is a tight one off where I'm trying to express how broken they both were after the Gaia war, and how their relationship involves the physicality of being together as part of their healing.  I imagine them as intensely physical from the start, because of the intersectionality of physical and mental healing and love.  Not that this one is about sex. I wanted to show how intensely they feel about each other outside of the inevitable sex.Anyway, haven't written about these two in awhile.  And haven't followed the fandom in awhile so I might be way off current trend.  However, if you like this, let me know.  Always happy to get feedback.





	Will and Nico Both Need Solace

Nico couldn't remember the whole dream, just the sudden waking in a drenching sweat, tears pouring down his cheeks, unable to breathe and then gulping air desperately after he'd leapt from bed and scrambled to the far wall of his cabin pressing himself against it and then recoiling in horror to the spacious centre on all fours like he was going to throw up. His mind was spinning, thoughts wild and disconnected. He found himself then striding along the green in the moonlight, holding one hand firmly toward a camp guardian harpy shrilly announcing her displeasure at his venture and the creature backing away in silence at the thrum of power in the gesture. He found himself at the door of cabin 7 and turning the handle and stepping inside. The white washed cabin glowed unearthly silver in the window-let moonlight and in twelve neat bunks sleeping children of Apollo were still and quiet draped in heavy white cotton sheets. Heart pounding, ears ringing, Nico scanned the room zeroing in on bunk 3, Will's unruly hair splayed across the pillow. Relief washed through him and unbidden tears coursed down. He would be ok. He would be okay.

Stepping silently was not a problem for the son of Hades and the cabin remained silent and slumbering as Nico made it to Will's bedside. And it remained silent while he stood there gazing down. And he wasn't thinking he might be overstepping, only really knowing Will Solace these past two days (two days full of kisses, and that reported 24 hr co-sleep in the infirmary). He wasn't thinking of impropriety even remotely. He just wanted solace. Solace and succor. And, aptly, both of those, in the last two days, he'd come to associate with this lovely boy so willing to kiss him on the mouth and stare at him while they read their books under the big old oak tree by the strawberry field. He was thinking he would slip under the covers and curl into Will's warmth and the nightmare would dissipate and waft away. That's all he was thinking. He was thinking he would be able to sleep here, a dreamless sleep.

But the mattress creaked. It creaked when Nico sat tentatively. So he froze and watched Will's eyes snap open. Will didn't move; demigods aren't skittish creatures. He opened his eyes and took it all in in an instant – tear stains, the wild eyes, the trembling, the unsteady breaths – and his eyes widened with concern. He whispered, “Nico.” And he lifted his head a little and shifted back slightly when Nico said nothing but lifted the sheet and made to slither under. Will’s whisper held some urgency and alarm. “Stop. Wait.” Nico paused, eyes shining in the moonlight like dark pools. Will looked around sharply and back. “What are doing? You can't be here, Nico.”

And Nico felt himself crash a bit. He couldn't speak and he felt the stupid tears start again. That Will grabbed his shaking hand at that moment and held it tight made the wave of irrational emotion worse. Will looked terrified. “Nico, what?”

“I can't sleep,” was all he managed, mostly mouthed but Will got it. Will's face relaxed and maybe flashed exasperation before he placed a finger to Nico's lips and mouthed, “Not here.” He motioned with his hand for Nico to move away. The bed creaked as they both rose and Will matched Nico's quiet footsteps toward the door. 

Out on the steps, Nico cast about agitated and Will watched him, shivering a little in just a t-shirt and boxer shorts. Will was thinking infirmary and thinking they'd better run while the harpy guard was nowhere to be seen. He tugged Nico's hand and jerked his head indicating the direction. They ran hand in hand, dew soaking their feet and grass sticking to their ankles. They didn't speak until Will had opened and closed the front door of the infirmary lobby and then opened and closed the door of an empty ward room. The moonlight was bright through the windows and they didn't turn on any lights. The air and the walk and Will being there had Nico quieted, though his fingers trembled still. There was a bed there and Nico leaned against it. Will stood a bit away from him wanting to brush the tear stains from Nico's cheeks but wanting to know what the hell was going on first. 

“You couldn't sleep?” Will began. He wasn't whispering but he spoke very softly. It seemed appropriate in the dim and moonlight.

Nico nodded, starting to feel a little foolish, the fear diluting with time. “I had a dream,” he explained, soft voice too. He explained. About the bronze jar, the feeling of the curved vessel pressing him in unable to stretch or rise, increasingly unable to breathe, his screaming, his silence, the pomegranate seeds, the death trance, the final seed, the dying hope, feeling welcome death approaching. About waking, terrified he had died. Waking thinking he had already died. And that if he could just get to Will he would be ok. If he could…

Nico stopped suddenly. He'd been focused on a random spot on the infirmary floor while he talked but a sound made him stop his rambling soliloquy and look up. A choking breath.

Will broke, just standing there, Nico watched him break, shoulders heaving grieving sobs. And he watched Will try to stop, try to pull himself together and failing. Nico watched, agape, his own fear and agitation forgotten. “Don't!” Will managed. He said it over and over. Then, in a rush, “I can't stand the thought of you dying. There's been too much dying!” The words came tumbling, in a torrent. “Nico, I can't…. I feel like if you die, I will die! I'll die, Nico! I'll die! I can't lose you after… I …. I…” He broke off standing there overcome.

Nico stood stunned, barely alllowing the full truth of the I Love You in Will's speech to sink in but awash with the sentiment. And something clicked: about who needed healing and who was healing whom. And who suffered and who was wounded. And something shifted: deeper than sweet kisses. 

Nico rushed over and gathered Will in his arms. He gathered him, sliding his arms under his t-shirt against his back, pulling him closer than he'd ever held anyone. He whispered, “Ok, I won't die. That's it. I won't die. Ever.”

They stood there and after maybe a minute, they felt the emotion shift again. Will found his feet. They peered at each other intently. “Gods, we're a mess.” Will finally said. Nico allowed a rueful smile. “What a fucking life we lead! The wars… the gods…” He reached out to touch Nico's bandaged arms. “Some wounds aren't so visible,” Nico said softly. Will just looked back at him. Their eyes, so opposite in colour, were matched fatigue and wisdom, old beyond their years. They were tired. They were so tired. Leaving it at that, they moved wordlessly to the bed, crawled in and curled around each other. They slept. Will actually fell asleep first but Nico wasn't far behind.


End file.
